Haunted
by Invisi
Summary: Three parties after her. One wants her safe. One wants her dead. One wants to know who she is... It is 2001, and Hermione has just gone through her first breakup with Ron. Wanting to escape, she runs away to Hogwarts and takes the job as Transfiguration professor. However, she is plagued by the spirit of a troublesome prankster that just wont leave her alone...
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: I know I really shouldn't be starting another story; after all, I still have The Nightmares Are Always Worse, My First to My Last and The Joys of Being Me to finish, as well as Esme Morris and Winged Hearts. However, this just popped into my head earlier, and I decided this had to be written. So here you go. **_

_**Also, I don't own Harry Potter, if that's what you were thinking. **_

**Chapter One**

**Flee**

"HERMIONE, STOP BEING SUCH A KMOW-IT-ALL!" Ron yelled. Hermione jumped, tears stinging her eyes.

"Yeah?" she cried. "Well, maybe if you'd stop being such a git-"

"ME?! YOU'RE THE ONE WHO NEEDS TO GET THEIR PRIORITIES STRAIGHT! YOU CAN'T JUST LIVE AMONGST THE BOOKS LIKE YOU DO EVERYTIME LIFE GETS HARD! YOU HAVE TO GO OUT THERE AND LIVE A LITTLE!"

"Yeah?!" she huffed angrily. "Well, maybe I will." She grabbed her shoulder bag and stood up, marching over to the door.

"Hermione, I didn't- Don't..." Ron said, his voice trailing off as she rounded on him, still seething with anger.

"Goodbye, Ron," she snapped. "Don't come looking for me, you'll never find me anyway." And with that she turned on her heel and left, slamming the door behind her.

**x**

Hermione closed her eyes, leaning back against the seat of the tube. _Idiot, idiot, idiot! _she thought, trying to keep her tears from flowing. She didn't need this; all the stress. Because Ron was right. Whenever something went wrong, with her life, her job, her relationship, she would go hide among the books.

It was stupid, really.

And yet, their thick leather bindings and worn pages made her feel at home. Reminded her that solid facts were there, and they were as firm as the ground she stood on. It comforted her to know that even after she was gone, this world would still be here.

But now? She had left everything. Ditched her job in the ministry, her home, her boyfriend, her friends. She had no family to turn to- they were living in Australia, with no clue that she existed. It was sad, really, that one argument could rob her of so much.

Where else could she go? She couldn't go to any of her friends, or any of the Weasley's, because that's where Ron would look for her. And no matter how dumb she felt, she didn't feel like seeing him for a very, very long time. Then it hit her.

_I'll go home. _

Not back to the flat she shared with Ron. Not even back to the house she'd lived in as a child. No, she was going to go to every wizard's home- Hogwarts.

If there was one safe place for Hermione Granger to go, that's where she would go.

_Tomorrow,_ she told herself. Tonight, for it was nearly midnight, she would stay at the Leaky Cauldron and write a letter to McGonagall. And then, when she received her reply, off to Hogwarts she would go.

It was simple, really.

**x**

_**A/N: Hope you enjoyed chapter one! After making some changes to my profile, I'm going to go and write another chapter. Stay tuned!**_

_**-Invisi.**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: Not much to say, but if you want to, please vote on the poll on my profile!**_

_**And, you'll never guess what- Harry Potter doesn't belong to me!**_

**Chapter Two**

**Meeting at Hogwarts**

Hermione got her reply the next morning, a short letter confirming her visit at three that afternoon. With five hours to kill before she had to leave, Hermione decided to go for a trip around Diagon. She went to Flourish and Blotts for some new books, and to replace the old ones she had left behind at Ron's. She contemplated going into George's shop, but not wanting to run into the redhead, decided against it.

She emptied her vault at Gringotts, and brought herself some ice cream from the new place, _Ellie's Ice Emporium. _She also brought herself a new owl, having left hers at home. Also, she was planning to reinvent herself.

Hermione Granger wasn't to be found.

**x**

Hermione stepped into the fire, and yelled, "Hogwarts Headmistress's Office!" and vanished.

The next thing she knew she was tumbling out of the fire, and found herself in McGonagall's office. The grey-haired woman smiled at her and gestured to the seat opposite her warmly.

"Miss Granger, what a pleasant surprise! Have a seat."

"Thank you, Professor," Hermione said gratefully as she sat down. Professor McGonagall nodded, and offered her a biscuit barrel, and Hermione took one gratefully.

"So, Miss Granger," McGonagall said, putting the barrel away, "Why are you here?"

Hermione explained to her the trouble she was having, the stress it was causing and the disagreement she'd had with Ron. At the end of her rant, McGonagall said nothing, instead offering her another biscuit, which she took.

"So, you see, Professor- I was just wondering if I could, well, stay at Hogwarts for a while? Maybe teach?"

McGonagall was silent a moment, then nodded. "Yes, Miss Granger, there is something... you see, most Headmistress' don't continue teaching their subject, whilst I have. Most of the teachers here have been telling me to stop, and I think you would be just the person to cover for me."

"Me?" Hermione squeaked. "Teach Transfiguration?"

McGonagall nodded. "Quite. I assume that's a yes, then?"

"Yes!" Hermione cried. "But one thing- you can't tell anybody it's me." McGonagall's brow furrowed.

"What are you planning to do?"

"Completely reinvent myself, then hide in plain sight."

McGonagall nodded and let out a sigh. "Very well. I have a staff meeting tonight, as school starts in two weeks- what shall I tell them?"

"Say you've found another transfiguration professor," Hermione said with a smile. "If anybody asks, my name is..." she frowned, groping for a name. "Fallon Esslemont."

McGonagall nodded. "Very well, Miss Granger. When will you arrive?"

"In two days. Goodbye, Professor," she added, as she stepped towards the fire.

"Goodbye, Hermione," McGonagall said, then smiled. "And please, call me Minerva."

Hermione stepped into the flames and was gone.

**x**

_**A/N: I'm uploading another chapter after this one! Seriously, I like this story!**_

_**Please review!**_

_**-Invisi**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: Nothing much. Can't be bothered to post the disclaimer; check back on the other chapters. **_

**Chapter Three**

**Reinventing**

When Hermione arrived back at Diagon Alley, she had a plan. First, she went out to by a book on cosmetic spells, then ventured out into Muggle London to find a cosmetic shop and buy some hair dye. Finally, she went to both Madame Malkin's and some Muggle shops, and then made her way back to The Leaky Cauldron, where she retreated to her room.

First she looked up a hair-straightening spell. The strongest she could find lasted twenty-four hours; she would have to renew it every day. She also found a recipe for a straightening potion that lasted weeks on end, and decided to make some when she arrived back at Hogwarts. For now, however, she had her hair straightened. Then she looked at the hair dye she had brought.

She had brought three colours that she'd considered, but wasn't sure which to go for.

The first was called Copper Shimmer. It was a shade of ginger, not as bright as the Weasley's and not nearly as eye-catching. The second was called Light Ash Blonde, and it was a shade of blonde- natural-looking, not unrealistic. The last was called red-hot cinnamon, a reddish-brown shade that looked brown in the shadows.

In the end she decided on Copper Shimmer, and went and applied it. It looked nice, and she smiled at her reflection, only half-unrecognisable.

She'd also brought some contacts; after hesitating she'd grabbed a pair of metallic teal. She put them on now, and used a cosmetic spell to alter the length of her nose and shapes of her eyes. There. She was practically unrecognisable.

She tried on her new clothes; dark blue, black and dark green robes from Madame Malkin's, long t-shirts and floaty shirts, and several pairs of jeans. Then, she decided on one last precaution; getting a new wand.

She entered Ollivander's with a jangling of the bell. A man of about twenty-five popped up from behind the desk, his glasses askew. Hermione realised this must've been the old Ollivander's son, and smiled at him warmly.

"Hello," she greeted cheerfully. "I've, uh, lost my wand, and was wondering if I could get a new one?"

"Sure," the young man said with a shrug. "What's your name?"

"Fallon Esslemont," she replied. "And I'm right-handed."

The man nodded and pulled out several boxes of wands from the shelves, pushing them towards her.

"Try them," he offered. Hermione nodded, hesitated, and pulled the lid off the end box. In it was a long wand that bended precariously when she took it.

"Pine and dragon heartstring, fifteen inches, bendy," said Young Ollivander. Hermione waved it, and nothing happened. She put it back and picked up the next one.

"Yew and unicorn hair, nine inches, stiff."

Again, nothing happened. Hermione went through several more before finding it; her new wand.

"Maple and dragon heartstring, twelve inches, nice and supple," Young Olivander said as she took it. She waved it and out shot teal sparks.

"Very good!" Young Olivader said with a grin. "That'll be nine galleons, please, Miss Esslemont."

She payed and left, before returning to Gringotts and opening another vault in the name of Fallon Esslemont. Then she returned to her rooms and smiled at herself in the mirror.

Her reinvention was done.

**x**

_**A/N: The chapters are short and a little boring, I know, but they'll get longer!**_

_**-Invisi**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N: Not much. As I've said before, don't own it, and please review!**_

**Chapter Four**

**Welcome Back**

Hermione found herself in the head's office again, facing an impressed McGonagall.

"Hermione, that is simply quite marvellous!" she gasped. "You are a dab hand at Cosmetic spells." Hermione shrugged sheepishly.

"Some of it was hair dye and contacts, but thanks anyway!"

McGonagall nodded, and lead Hermione down the stairs. Hermione dragged her owl cage and suitcase after her, and they entered a corridor Hermione had never seen before; the teacher's rooms. McGonagall lead her down to one second to the end on the right-hand side. There was a portrait there, of a wizard sat by a campfire with a banjo.

"Ooh, is this our new resident?" he asked in a corny American accent as they approached. McGonagall nodded, and he strummed his banjo in delight. "Well, isn't that just fine and dandy? Would you like to hear a song, m'dear? Here you go: _So I woke up this morning and looked outsi-"_

"That's quite enough, thank you, Jaques," McGonagall interrupted. "Hermione, will you please tell Jaques your new password?"

Hermione nodded and stepped forwards to whisper to the painting, _"Hermione." _The painting nodded, and swung open.

"Good day to you, Headmistress, Ma'am!" Jaques called as they stepped through. "And a good day to you too, Miss Esslemont!" The portrait swung closed behind them.

"These are your rooms," McGonagall told her, spreading out a hand and sweeping it in a general direction to indicate the space. Hermione's jaw dropped.

In front of her was a small coffee table with a worn, diamond-shaped red rug with tassels beneath it on the polished wooden floor. On the wall opposite her was a fireplace, with two small windows either side. To her right was a raised area that housed a simple, round kitchen table and a small kitchenette in a sort of semi-square. There was also a doorway covered by a net curtain. To her left was another door.

"Oh, wow!" she gasped. McGonagall smiled.

"I'll leave you to get settled in. Come to the great hall at lunchtime, wont you? The others are dying to meet you."

Hermione nodded and McGonagall left the room. She placed her owl- a barn owl called Jonquil- on the table and dropped her suitcase where she stood. Then she went over to explore.

Through the net curtain was three rooms, a bathroom, a bedroom and a study. The bathroom was on the right, simply set out, with a stone bath against the wall, a sink beside it and a toilet in the corner. In the study (which was on the left) there was a large desk, and shelves lining the walls. Opposite the door was a soft sofa and a window behind, looking over the greenhouses. Through the end door, she found the small bedroom; a window opposite her, a dresser on her left and the single bed on her right.

Going through the other door she found a much larger bedroom, with a king-sized bed decked out in scarlet opposite her. It was rather like the ones in the Gryffindor dormitories, except way bigger. There was also a dark, wooden wardrobe with a mirror in the door to the left, and a matching dresser to the left. There was also a large window.

After unpacking her things it was time for lunch, and after dusting off her blue robes and re-straightening her hair, she took one last look in the mirror and set off for the great hall.

The hall was not busy, as she had always seen it; in fact, it was almost empty aside from the teachers at the other end. She recognised McGonagall, Sinestra, Slughorn, Flitwick, Hagrid, Trelawney and Sprout straight away. Also sat there was a grim-faced man with a limp moustache whom she didn't recognise.

"Ah, there you are, Fallon!" McGonagall greeted as she drew closer. Hermione waved and gave a weak smile.

"Hi," she called, striding over to join the teachers. She sat down in an empty seat between moustache-man and McGonagall.

"So you must be our new transfiguration teacher!" cried Sinistra. "Nice to meet you. My name's Aurora Sinestra, nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too," Hermione greeted with a smile, before taking a slice of chicken to put on her plate. The others were already eating, so she may as well.

"I'm Professor Filius Flitwick, pleased to make your acquaintance!" Flitwick squeaked. The others introduced themselves, and she learnt that the moustache man's name was Angus Payton, and he was the new muggle studies teacher. He seemed rather gloomy.

For the rest of the day, Hermione was given the grand tour of Hogwarts by Sinistra, who insisted she call her Auror. Hermione found herself quite liking the Astronomy teacher, and at dinner that night, sat by her new-found friend.

**x**

After her first day back, Hermione returned to her rooms, feeling quiet cheerful, and tired. She changed into a pair of pajamas and climbed into bed, unaware of what was about to unfold.

**x**

_**A/N: Hopefully this chapter was longer! Hope you enjoyed it!**_

_**-Invisi**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N: No reviews? Aww... anyway, Harry Potter doesn't belong to me, and here's chapter five. **_

**Chapter Five**

**The Haunting Begins**

It was eleven o'clock when Hermione finally put out her lights and climbed into bed. The sheets were soft, and she snuggled down, enjoying the space and comfort. The net curtains at the open window fluttered in the breeze, letting moonlight shine into the room. She turned to it, the silver light illuminating her face. Her hair was already starting to curl, and she'd taken out her contacts. She stared up at the moon in the sky, wishing that she had't lost her head.

If only.

And then, suddenly, when her watch read 11:59, a loud chiming started from the main room. She groaned, rolling over, half-asleep. _Why do I even have a dumb grandfather clock anyway?_ she thought, and then sat up, her blood running cold.

_I don't have a grandfather clock. _

She slid out o bed and opened up her wardrobe, pulling on a denim jacket and some boots. She grabbed her wand and lit it with a muttered _"Lumos." _Then she crept out of the door.

There was no-one there, and no clock either. However, she could still hear the chiming. Spooked, she left her rooms and decided to go for a wander in the grounds. As she made her way through the castle, the chiming grew louder, coming from all directions. How come nobody else had woken up?

_How come only I can hear it? _she wondered, wrenching open the doors and striding outside. All at once, the chiming stopped.

More than a little freaked out, she walked out towards the lake, wondering what the hell had just happened. As she walked on the path, every tree, bush and plant she walked past rustled without her having to touch it.

She walked faster.

A cold breeze whistled through the trees as she reached the lake, shivering. A cloud drifted over the moon, plunging her into darkness for a moment.

"Hello, Hermione," said a voice close to her ear, and she screamed, whirling around in fright, wand extended. There was nobody there.

"Who are you?" she demanded. "Show yourself!" A laugh echoed around her.

"No way, Hermione!" the voice said. It sounded vaguely familiar, but she couldn't be bothered to wonder where she'd heard it before. "If you don't know who I am, then there's no way I'm showing myself to you!"

She lowered her wand slightly, still on edge. "What do you want with me?" she asked suspiciously.

"I'm going to be your own personal spirit. Oh, yes! I will haunt you while you teach here until all is resolved..."

"Oh-kay," Hermione muttered. "How do you know my name?"

"Weren't you listening? I'm a spirit. I know everything," the voice joked. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"And one last question; can you leave me alone for a while?"

"Sure," the voice said, and she was pretty sure it was shrugging. "See you on the second of September!"

And then she felt the cold lift, and knew it had vanished.

**x **

Hermione looked in the mirror. A week had passed, and it was now the big day; September first. The day that she became Professor Esslemont. To say she was nervous would be an understatement, she thought as she looked at herself in the mirror. The kids would be arriving soon, and she needed to be in the Great Hall for ten minutes time. She gave herself one last check; straight, copper hair, upturned teal eyes, short nose. She pocketed her wand in her black robes, and then made her way down to the Great Hall.

As she sat down between Sinistra and Hagrid, the doors opened and the students walked in.

They seemed evenly distributed in houses, except Slytherin was slightly smaller than it had been when she'd been at school. Hufflepuff seemed to be the biggest house, followed by Gryffindor. Hermione tilted her head to the side as the students came in and took their places, before Professor Flitwick put out the stool and sorting hat. He scurried back to his seat and had just sat down when the first-years entered the hall.

There was about forty of them, stood in a nervous line, watching the Sorting Hat that lay on the stool. Then, the hat opened its mouth and began to sing.

_"What do we have here?_

_Trembling with fear?_

_No need to be afraid_

_That fright shall soon fade!_

_For those of you who do not know_

_This is not some sort of show_

_I am the sorting hat!_

_I'll tell you which house you shall be at. _

_Maybe daring Gryffindor;_

_Those who like to bend the law!_

_You will have to be daring and true_

_If Gryffindor is the house for you!_

_And then again there's Slytherin_

_Those who like to lie and win_

_They are sneaky, ambitious and sly!_

_Maybe this is the house for which your heart does cry?_

_And what about Ravenclaw?_

_Those with knowledge to thaw!_

_This is the house of learning and truth_

_Is this where you will spend your youth?_

_And finally Hufflepuff_

_The house for those neither clever, sly or tough_

_This is for the ones who are loyal _

_Who will stand by friend through life's many-a-toil._

_So come sit by me and I will decide_

_Which house pulls you like the roaring tide_

_And when you are safe and sound_

_The sorting will come around!"_

Cheering rippled through the hall. Professor Flitwick stood up and began to read names off a list.

"Ablington, Jordan."

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Avery, Samuel."

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Bramely, Gail."

"GRYFFINDOR!"

More names were called, until finally all the first-years had joined the crowd. McGonagall stood, and the hall lapsed into silence.

"Welcome back!" the headmistress called. "To another great year at Hogwarts! To our older students, I hope you will enjoy this year as much as you did your last; and to our new students, welcome. Now, before you eat, I have to remind you of a few things..." She went through the notices that were always given at the start of term.

"I would also like to introduce our new transfiguration Professor, Professor Esslemont."

Hermione flashed a smile at the crowd and waved her fingers as mutters spread across the crowd.

"Ah-hem," McGonagall coughed, and the students became silent once more. "Let the feast begin!"

Cheers rose from the students as food appeared, and everybody tucked in. Whilst talking to Sinistra and Hagrid, Hermione noticed many students leaning over to look up at her. She tried to ignore the stares as much as she could, but it was rather difficult.

**x**

Paris Luna Dela Rosa sat at the Ravenclaw table beside her twin sister, Willa Luna Dela Rosa. It was their third year at Hogwarts this year, and there was only one topic in the crowd; Professor Esslemont.

"Who do you think she is?" Hew Rozario asked from across the table. Willa shrugged.

"I dunno. Do you think she's any good? She ought to be, if McGonagall gave up her teaching position to her."

"Her nose is too short," Paris added, and Willa rolled her eyes.

"Paris, you gotta think about something more than looks in a person! For example, who is she? Where does she come from? Why is she here?"

Paris shrugged. "Who knows? We have Transfiguration tomorrow, first thing, so we should be able to find something out about her."

"I wonder if she's strict?" Hew asked. "Or maybe she's one of those really fun teachers?"

"She looks fun," Willa offered. "She's talking to Sinistra and Hagrid, and she keeps on smiling and laughing, look." Paris looked, and sure enough, the red-head was laughing at something one of the others had said. Her eyes drifted across the crowd, and locked with Paris. Paris froze, but the woman smiled at her and her gaze drifted on.

**x**

The spirit stood in the wall, watching the young woman at the table between his old Astronomy teacher and the Gatekeeper. She'd managed to fool them good, but she wasn't good enough to fool him. He knew her too well.

And besides, he was a spirit. Spirits knew everything, right?

He chuckled. She didn't know who he was, and he liked it like that.

_Keep on guessing, Hermione._

**x**

_**A/N: Well, there was chapter five! Hopefully it was longer then the previous chapters (I sure hope so!). The bits about Paris, I wasn't planning on having in here, but the just... happened. I quite like the characters of Paris, Willa and Hew, so they're likely to show up again next chapter. **_

_**Hope you enjoyed, and if you did, REVIEW.**_

_**-Invisi**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N: So, I just decided to check my emails (which I do once in a millenium) and saw all you guys who favorited and followed this story... THANK YOU! Please drop a review, unless, like me, you refuse to review because all your reviews are awful :p**_

_**Bearing in mind that I don't own Harry Potter, here it is...**_

**Chapter Six**

**Transfiguration**

Hermione's first class on the second was with the third-year Gryffindors and Ravenclaws. She knew they would ask questions, and so the night before, instead of going through her lesson plans once more, she instead wrote a twenty-foot essay on her new character of Fallon Esslemont. 'Fallon' was a half-blood. She had gone to Hogwarts for two years (she was placed in Ravenclaw), and was taken out of the school in her second year when the Chamber of Secrets was opened. Her mother, Lola Esslemont, had died the year she turned seventeen. Fallon had fought in the battle of Hogwarts, but nothing very interesting had happend to her.

Hermione hoped this would work.

She arrived at class to find the third-years already waiting for her, nervously so. She smiled warmly at them.

"Hello, Class," she greeted. "Why don't you come inside?"

She led them inside. The transfiguration classroom was large, with old-fashioned schoolroom desks and a blackboard. There was a desk on which she'd left her lesson plans the night before, and she walked over to it, finding her register lying on top.

"Now," she said, in a brisk, business-like tone, "I'm going to take the register. I would like you to put your hand up when you say your names, so I can recognise you in future."

She picked up a quill, dipped it in a pot of red ink, and began to call out names.

"Malcolm Alison?"

"Here, miss!" came the reply. Hermione looked up to see a dark-haired boy with a Gryffindor tie, and smiled at him.

"Carolyn Beck?"

Carolyn put her hand up. She had light brown hair, and was a Ravenclaw. Hermione went through the register.

"Lena Luna?" She tried not to laugh. 'Luna' reminded her so much of her old friend. The girl, Lena, was also blonde with wide blue eyes.

"Here, miss!" she said in a soft, shy voice.

"Paris Luna Dela Rosa?" Wow, that was a mouthful.

"Here miss!" came the call, and Hermione looked up to see a girl with short- boyishly short- blonde hair and twinkling green eyes. Beside her was another girl, who looked exactly the same. _Twins, _Hermione thought as she called out the next name.

"Willa Luna Dela Rosa?"

"Here!" the identical girl called.

Hermione went through the rest of the register and then counted up the names. She smiled.

"Okay, class, I'd like you to get into three teams of three and one team of four!" she announced. She'd decided to do this with each of her classes, as a good way to break the ice. "Okay, pair up!" she shouted, clapping her hands. There was a mad rush as the students merged and then became dotted groups. Hermione waved her wand and the many tables turned into three circle tables and one square table.

"Threes sit at a circle table, and the four, I'd like you to sit at the square table."

The students did so. Hermione cut a piece of parchment into four strips with her craft knife, and then handed a slip of parchment to each of the tables. "Right, I'd like you to write your names on the back of this parchment. The way I will work this year is simple; each group will be a team with its very own name. Every lesson, I will award house points for hard work. Today, I will also give house points for the best team name. On the front of the piece of parchment, that is where you will write your team name. You have five minutes. What are you waiting for?"

**x**

Paris looked up and did a quick spot of the groups the students had chosen to be in. Malcolm, Roberto and Delores were together, as were Carolyn, Lyn and Jessie. Gregg, Tim and Al were together, and that just left the four of them- Paris and her sister, Hew, and their cousin Lena.

"So, what should our name be?" Willa asked. "It has to be something creative, but something we wouldn't mind."

They sat in silence a while, pondering. Then, Lena spoke out.

"How about Spinning Apple Raccoons?"

"How'd you come up with that?" Hew asked in confusion, wrinkling his nose. Lena shrugged.

"I love apples, I love raccoons and I love spinning."

"Works for me," Paris said, and Willa nodded in agreement. Hew grinned.

"Spinning Apple Raccoons it is!" he said, and wrote it down on the parchment. Paris high-fived her cousin for something to do, and Professor Esslemont came around and took the parchment. They started the lesson, and ended up trying to transfigure a mouse into a teacup.

**x**

Hermione looked at the parchment in front of her. Those children were really quite ingenious.

Malcolm, Roberto and Delores (who didn't resemble Umbridge at all, in fact she looked rather like a scared mouse) had decided on 'The Three Owls', while Carolyn, Lyn and Jessie had chosen 'The Daily Nightingales' (this one made Hermione snort). Greg, Tim and Al had decided on 'The Godly Walruses', which made Hermione laugh so loud the class had given her weird looks. The twins, Lena and Hew had chosen 'Spinning Apple Raccoons', which made Hermione frown. What did apples have to do with raccoons, and raccoons with spinning?

Five minutes before the bell she called for the students to pack away. They did so quickly, and she stood at the front of the class, smiling.

"Five points each to The Godly Walruses for your- um- highly amusing team name!" Hermione announced. That was ten points to Gryffindor and five points to Ravenclaw. The boys cheered and the other teams exchanged amused looks.

"And five points each to Spinning Apple Raccoons for your great work!" Hermione added, and the team 'yes'd and hi-fived. Hermione smiled.

"Very well, you may go," she called, and the class cheered as they turned to leave. However, one girl hung back; she recognised her as one of the twins.

"Yes?" Hermione asked pleasantly. "Can I help you?"

"Um, I was wondering, Professor Esslemont... um, that is, what is your real name?" the girl looked highly curious. Hermione smiled.

"Fallon. Fallon Esslemont."

The girl nodded and left, walking faster to catch up with her friends.

**x**

_**A/N: I considered adding more on here, but decided to put that into chapter seven. Review, favourite, whatever!**_

_**-Invisi**_


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N: I'm not going to bother posting the disclaimer. It takes WAY too long to write. Anyway, please enjoy today's third chapter. And, just so you know, the only lessons described in detail will be the ones with the third-year Gryffindors and Ravenclaws. I can't be bothered to create a whole new list of names.**_

**Chapter Seven**

**Who's There?**

"Her name's Fallon," Paris gasped, as she caught up with her friends. "Fallon Esslemont."

"Right," Willa said with a nod. "So, Library?" It was morning break, right after their Transfiguration lesson with the new teacher. Curious, Willa had suggested researching her, and everybody had agreed.

The four of them made their way up to the library and began searching through books on recent Wizarding history and old newspapers. After searching for the whole half an hour of break, they had found nothing.

"She's probably not even in here!" Hew said with a sigh as they left the library. "Maybe she's not anyone special, after all?"

"She has to be," Willa pointed out. "Why else would McGonagall give up the job?"

"I dunno," Hew said with a shrug, "But she's perfectly normal."

"I don't know, she seems a little fishy to me," Paris said, narrowing her eyes. Hew sighed.

"Look," Lena said, "If we don't find her by the end of the week, we'll stop researching her. That okay with you? Paris? Hew?"

"Yeah," the two chorused, and the four teenagers headed to class.

**x**

The spirit in the walls watched, chortling, as Hermione's lessons went on. He'd expected them to be rather like McGonagall's lessons, but if anything, they were rather fun-looking. And the idea of teams? Absolutely genius! Sometimes he admired her brains.

But only sometimes.

**x**

Hermione retreated to her rooms. She was tired, sore and aching all over. Who knew teaching could be this hard?

_Still, _she thought, pouring herself some tea, _I'm safe here, aren't I?_

With everything of her precious life except her wand tucked away back at Ron's, and with nothing but an empty vault registered in her name, she was impossible to track down. She really was hiding in plain sight.

After finishing her tea and checking her lesson plans, she pulled on her pajamas and climbed into bed. Her watch ticked on as she fell asleep.

11:32

11:46

11:54

11:57

11:58

11:59

All of a sudden she was woken from her sleep by a grandfather clock chiming. Groaning, she tried to ignore it, but found that the chiming got louder. With a muffled shriek of frustration, she grabbed her wand and pulled on her denim jacket that lay over the bedframe. Then she slipped on a pair of sandales and crept outside.

This time, she decided to walk around the building, and was standing in the nook between two towers when she heard a voice behind her.

"Hi Hermione."

She squealed in fright and dropped her wand, stumbling to pick it up. Once it was firmly back in her grasp, she turned and pointed the wand at the empty space.

"Who's. There." She demanded between gritted teeth. The spirit laughed, still invisible.

"Still haven't figured it out yet, Hermione? I thought you were supposed to be the brightest witch of our age?"

Hermione froze, suddenly realising where she'd heard that voice before. So many times, laughing at something or pulling a prank. That voice... one she hadn't heard since '98.

"Fred?" she tried tentatively, and she heard the spirit laugh.

"Got it in one," came Fred's voice, and he suddenly materialized to the side of her. She turned to study him intently. His body was still wearing the clothes he'd worn when he'd died, and he didn't look a day older. His body was an odd shade of silvery-blue, and he emitted a shimmering aura of the same colour. But his hair- ginger, like all Weasley's- was still colourful, though dimmed, while the rest of his body was that strange blue. It radiated a faint golden lighted that merged with the silvery-blue.

"Hi, Hermione," he greeted, smiling that casual Weasley-twin grin.

Hermione couldn't help it; she was so edgy. She toppled over backwards and screamed.

Fred laughed. "Hey, hey! No need to look so frightened! It's only me!"

She nodded, gulping back air, trying to calm herself down. He extended a hand to her and she tried to take it, but instead found that her hand went straight through. He laughed at the dumbfounded expression on her face.

"I can't believe you fell for it- everybody knows that you can't touch dead people!" He laughed again. Hermione scowled and pushed herself to her feet.

"So what are you now, then?" she asked. "Some sort of ghost?"

"Hermione, don't be dumb," he snapped. "Do I seem like the sort of person who would be too afraid to go, as Dumbledore puts it, 'on'?"

"No," she admitted. "But then what are you?"

"I'm a spirit," Fred told her. She frowned at him.

"Is there even a difference between a ghost and a spirit?" she asked in confusion. Fred nodded.

"A ghost willingly stays behind and can go anywhere they want. A spirit is forced to stay behind and is tied to the place where they died." They began to walk around the corner. Fred tried to kick a rock, but his foot went straight through it. He grunted in annoyance and Hermione snorted.

"What're you laughing at?" he questioned. Hermione shrugged.

"Nothing in particular. This is all so weird."

Fred nodded. "Yeah, I suppose it is."

"If I were still in contact with the others, what do you think they'd say if I told them?" Hermione asked, imagining their faces. Fred laughed.

"That, my friend, would be a sight worth seeing. Anyway," he paused a moment, "Why have you stopped contact with the others?"

"Ron and I had an argument. A big one, this time," Hermione admitted. "I wanted some space, I didn't want him to find me. So I came to the safest place I could find."

"Hogwarts. Clever, Hermione- or should I say, Fallon?" he asked, and she blushed at the ground.

"I didn't want them to find me," she repeated, and he nodded.

"I know you didn't." Then he waved and began walking out towards the lake.

"Hey, where're you going?" she called after him. He shrugged.

"See you tomorrow!" he cried, and then vanished. Sighing, Hermione turned, and walked back the way she came.

**x**

Fred sat beneath a willow tree, and, when he was sure no-one was there to see him, he materialized. He was smiling, a rare feat for the twin nowadays. Being stuck in the walls at Hogwarts, there wasn't much to smile about.

He'd been lurking in the teachers corridor when McGonagall had shown Hermione her room. He had been wondering who the young woman was, and why she seemed so familiar, when McGonagall had called her 'Hermione'.

And that's when his idea had fallen into place.

After lurking a while, he had learnt about Hermione's disagreements with her friends and the ministry, and her wish to disappear. And so, on the first night, he had made the chiming noise come from no-where, and made it so it was only audible to Hermione. It still amazed him how much he could do, bending his excess energy to create illusions of all kinds. He'd followed her and talked to her, but she hadn't recognised him. And so he'd tried another tactic; making her guess.

He'd left her alone for a while to ponder it, but by the second, it was evident he'd been forgotten, shoved to the back of her mind. Annoyed, he'd tried again to lure her outside, and she'd finally recognised him.

He wondered what his imprisonment here would be like now he'd decided to 'officially' haunt someone. Definitely a lot more fun, seeing that person was Hermione. He smiled.

His fun was only just beginning.

**x**

_**A/N: Loved it? Hated it? Leave a review!**_

_**-Invisi**_


	8. Chapter 8

_**A/N: Thanks to XxxI'mNotOkayxxX for your review. And, to eoitgooiug, I don't appreciate spam. Especially if you spam me five freakin' times! **_

_**With that said, here's Chapter Eight. **_

_**I don't own Harry Potter. **_

**Chapter Eight**

**Searching**

The week passed. The Luna (Dela Rosa) girls and Hew had not found anything on their newest professor, which was strange. There had to be something special about her... but what?

Coming out of the Library on Friday, Paris noticed the odd expression on Hew's face.

"What're you so smug about?" she snapped irritably.

"I told you, didn't I?" Hew asked. "We wont find nothing. She's no-one special."

"Actually," Lena put in. "I did find something. You know how a census takes place every 30th of August, right?" The others nodded as they walked. "Well," she continued, "I've been looking at the census records for the last five years. There was no Fallon Esslemont until this year- and her only address is given as Hogwarts. Don't you think that's a little odd?"

Willa nodded. "There's definitely something fishy going on there."

"Told you so," Paris teased Hew, sticking her tongue out at him. He just rolled his eyes.

"We've looked everywhere. Besides, if she only appeared this year, we're not going to find any record of her whatsoever, are we?"

"There is another way," Paris pointed out.

"Yes, I think we might just have to," Willa said, looking thoughtful. "What do you say, Lena?"

"I say count me in," their cousin replied. Hew looked at them in confusion.

"Is anyone gonna tell me what's... no!" he cried. "No way!" They all glared at him.

"What else do you suggest we do, then?" Paris asked snidely.

"Drop it?" Hew suggested.

"She's a suspicious character, Hew! She could be a Death Eater for all we know, plotting to kill us! We need to know _more_!" Paris cried. Willa nodded.

"She's right, you know, Hew," Willa pointed out. He sighed.

"Fine, but that doesn't mean I have to like it," he snapped.

**x**

Harry had known something was wrong back in August, when Ron had shown up on his doorstep. He had smiled, but it didn't go to his eyes. Plus, he had turned up for no reason. Given, Ron always turned up with no warning, but this... this was different.

"C'mon in, mate," he'd said, smiling despite the weirdness. "Ginny's out shopping, so I've go the house to myself. I'll go make you a cuppa."

Ron had followed him to the kitchen and sat down at the table. Harry had joined him a moment later, holding his friend's tea out. Ron had taken it, peering around hopefully.

"Hey, I don't suppose you've seen Hermione, have you?" he'd asked, taking a sip.

"No, not since she popped round last week. Why?" He'd frowned, peering at his friend. "Ron? What's up?"

"Hermione and I had an argument the other day," Ron admitted. Harry had frowned.

"So? You and Hermione always have arguments."

"I mean a big one, a I'm-not-talking-to-you anymore one. And then she stormed out."

"She's probably just gone to cool off..."

"She's been gone for two days!" Ron interrupted, and Harry could see how worried his friend looked. "I've asked everywhere! Nobody's seen her!"

Harry felt worried now. "Nobody? Ron, she's a national hero; somebody will have noticed her."

"Tom, the old barman at The Leaky Cauldron said he saw her a couple of days ago. Said she brought a room but he never saw her again." Harry had frowned worriedly at this.

"She's probably hiding out somewhere. You know how good she is at hiding spells, right?" he reasoned.

"I know, I know, but Harry..." Ron trailed off. "Oh, Harry, I've got this feeling something awful's happened to her."

**x**

****Three weeks passed. In between his job as Head Auror, Harry had been searching for Hermione. He checked at The Leaky Cauldron and got the same answer as Ron. Eventually he'd told Ron they should put an add in the _Daily Prophet, _asking if anyone had seen her. He should've known better; should've known they'd blow it up into a big story.

After all, they always did when it was him or his friends.

The next day the headlines read _Hermione Granger: MIA. _Ginny had brought the paper to him, looking worried. They'd read through the paper together.

_Yesterday, Hermione Granger, the brightest witch of her age and member of the 'Golden Trio' was confirmed to be missing. It was revealed that she had been missing for little over three weeks when her family had come out into the open with it. _

_It has been said that Hermione was last seen on the 23rd of August, 10:26pm, leaving her falt after a fight with her boyfriend. She was later confirmed to be at Diagon Alley and of having emptied her Gringotts vault, but other then that has disappeared off the face of the earth. _

_Her family are encouraging the public to keep an eye out for her, and to come forward if they know... (Cont. page 6)_

Harry had exchanged a glance with Ginny. Harry had thought that Ronhad been making a big deal out of nothing, but now that he thought about it, it really wasn't.

**x**

The man looked over the top of his newspaper at his sour-faced wife across the table.

"Have you seen this, my dear?" he asked, sliding it across the table to her. She picked it up and glanced at it with mild interest.

"The Granger girl's missing?" she'd said thoughtfully. "Interesting, but I don't see what that has to do with us."

Her husband smiled. "We could hunt her down," he suggested, a plan forming in his brain. His wife looked up at him, looking incredulous.

"Whatever for! We're against mudbloods and low-life scum."

"Exactly. She's a national hero, dear- think of how much her family would pay ransom for her! And, while she's here, you can do whatever you like to her." His eyes glittered dangerously as he picked up the shiny butter knife at the side of his plate. His wife smiled evilly.

"I like the sound of that," she admitted, making a grab for the knife. She ran it gently over her own arm, not quite hard enough to break the skin. "I'd love to watch her dirty blood flow..."

"And the money we'd get for her!" her husband added, his eyes glittering dangerously.

"So where do we look?"

**x**

**_A/N: We don't get Hermione's or Fred's POV's this chapter, unfortunately. You'll get Hermione next chapter, however, and maybe Fred's. I think I've introduced all the POV's for now: Hermione, Fred, Harry, Paris and unknown couple at the end. _**

**_Thanks again to all you guys who have reviewed or favorited or followed, it really means a lot to me!_**

**_Until next time, _**

**_-Invisi_**


	9. Chapter 9

_**A/N: Well, if you're a fan of this story, you'll probably be pleased to know I'm going to drop writing all my other stories until I've finished this one. If you're a fan of my other stories, I hope the frequent updates of this story will make up for it.**_

_**Thanks to ForTheWinDM for your review! And thanks again to everybody who favorited, followed or whatever! You guys make my day!**_

_**Oh, and I don't own Harry Potter**_

**Chapter Nine**

**Hazards and Horizons**

It was Monday once again, and time for Hermione's favourite class- her Gryffindor and Ravenclaw third-years. She couldn't explain why they were her favourite class, but they were.

"Alright, class!" she called, marking names off her register as she spotted them. "I have your rats from last week here. I want you to continue trying to transfigure them into teacups. Then, if five people have managed it by the end, I'll let you off homework."

The class hurried to the front as she handed out the rats. She wanted to laugh; these kids really hated homework. It was strange, as Hermione had used to love it when she was at school.

Then, about fifty minutes into the class, something exploded.

Literally exploded. Four people had managed to transfigure their work- Carolyn, Jessie, Al and Hew- and Lena was not far off. However, just as Hermione was about to call for a stop, the papers she had been holding exploded.

They were nothing important, thank Merlin.

Still, the papers flew around the room, tugging the students things with them. Soon it was a hurricane of classroom supplies, and the students were crouched under their desks fearfully.

"Fred Weasley!" she muttered through gritted teeth. "Where are you, you moron?"

"Right here," came Fred's reply from right next to his ear. He had the sense to talk quietly, at least.

"Stop this at once!" Hermione hissed at him. She heard him chuckle.

"And why would I do that? I haven't played a prank in ages! This is fun!" She tried to nudge him sharply, which resulted in another laugh.

"Hermione, you can't touch dead people, remember?"

"Oh, just shut up and stop this!" she cried quietly, in exasperation.

"Fine, fine, I will," he sighed, and she saw the swirling slow. She breathed a sigh of relief, but it was short-lived; with another cackle from Fred, it started again, faster then before. This time it whipped up tables and chairs. Several students screamed.

"Fred Weasley!" Hermione snapped; it didn't matter, for the students couldn't hear her over the wind. She heard him laugh, and then felt his presence vanish. Gritting her teeth, she stood up to adress the class.

"RIGHT!" she yelled. "EVERYBODY OUT, QUICLY NOW!" The students all began to crawl towards the door, their hair being whipped by the wind. Hermione gritted her teeth and walked towards the door. When she was sure the room was empty, she shut the door behind her.

"Okay, everyone, listen up!" she called. "You can all go to break early, while I go to McGonagall about the classroom. I'm also going to let you off homework for now-" at this, cheers rang through the crowd- "But only this once, do you hear me?"

The students scrambled to go, and Hermione turned to go towards the headmistress's office.

**x**

"She's leaving!" Lena hissed in Paris's ear. Paris nodded; today was the day they started their plan.

"Okay, Hew and I will go," she decided. "Meet you in charms," she added to her sister and cousin. She grabbed Hew's arm and dragged him with her.

"Do we have to do this?" Hew whined. "I mean, you can't spy on our teacher, for Merlin's sake!"

"Shh!" Paris hissed, peering around the corner. Professor Esslemont was talking to the gargoyle that lead to the Headmistress's office, and it swung open for her. Signalling to Hew to keep quiet and follow her, Paris snuck around the corner and grabbed onto the bottom step just as the staircase started to swirl upwards. Esslemont was stood on the top step, looking impatient and edgy; she didn't even notice Paris's hands, clinging onto the step. Paris looked down, and saw Hew hanging onto her leg, and sighed.

They reached the top and Esslemont knocked on McGonagall's door. "Come in!" the headmistress called, and Professor Esslemont opened the door, closing it behind her. Paris pulled herself up and over the step, and then turned to help Hew up. The two third-years crept to the door, pressing their ears against it and listening intently.

"So you're saying that a whirlwind destroyed your classroom?" McGonagall was asking curiously.

"Yes!" came Esslemont's reply.

"We haven't had anything as extreme as that since the Weasley twins were here! Well, I'll sort it out for you, and I'll also find out who did it. Peeves, no doubt."

"Thank you, Professor."

"I've told you time and time again, child, call me Minerva!"

"Okay... Minerva."

"Well, you should go. Your classroom should be fixed by the end of break. See you later, her- Fallon."

"Her Fallon?" Paris hissed to Hew in confusion, who shrugged. They then froze; Professor Esslemont was approaching the door. Paris looked around in panic, and spotted a tapestry of the night sky. Beckoning Hew, she slid behind it; her friend followed.

They heard the door open, and Esslemont's rhythmic footsteps. Then there was a hum of the stairs moving, and Paris sighed in relief, leaving against the wall. Her elbow moved a brick, and the small sliver of wall behind them slid open. The two third-years toppled backwards and landed on the floor a metre below, as the wall above them closed up.

"Where are we?" Hew's voice echoed in the dark.

"I don't know!" Paris replied breathlessly. She fumbled for her wand and found it several feet to her right. She gripped it in her hand, unable to see in the pitch blackness.

_"Lumos!" _she muttered, and the bright light revealed the space they were in for the first time.

**x**

Hermione didn't even wait to be woken up. At ten o'clock, when she'd finished her marking and schedules, she'd pulled on her jacket and boots and made her way outside, shivering in the cool air.

"Fred!" she hissed as loud as she dared. "Fred Weasley, show yourself!"

There came a laugh from several feet away and Fred appeared, grinning like a maniac.

"Hey 'Mione!" he greeted cheerfully.

"Don't you 'hey 'Mione' me!" she snapped back in annoyance, narrowing her eyes at him. "How dare you- you-"

"How dare I what?" Fred asked teasingly.

"You know what!" she cried, stalking towards him. "If I could, Fred, oh if I could, I would punch you in the face!"

"But you can't!" Fred stuck his tongue out at her. She scowled and took several paces towards him, before halting suddenly.

"C'mon, 'Mione, drop it already!" Fred cried. "Let's go for a walk or something, okay? I'm bored."

"Fine," Hermione sighed. "I really do hate you, you know that, right?"

"Of course!" he replied, disappearing and then reappearing moments later, a metre from where he had been stood. "Come _on, _we haven't got all night! I want to show you something!"

"This better not be a prank," she warned, walking to catch up with him.

"It's not," he replied with a shrug, and the two walked down towards Hagrid's Hut. Fred began to walk into the forest, but Hermione hesitated. He turned to her.

"Are you coming?"

"Are you sure it's, y'know, safe?" she asked hesitantly. He sighed and rolled his eyes, then extended a hand to her.

"I promise. Look, nothing in there will hurt you while you're with me. They know better than to mess with spirits." Hermione paused, then nodded, taking a few steps and trying to take his hand. Her hand went straight through it, and he laughed again.

"Can't touch dead people."

She scowled, but nevertheless stayed beside him as they walked through the looming tree trunks. It was darker here, with the looming trees casting long shadows and blocking out moonlight. Most of the time all she could see was what Fred's light illuminated, and at these times he seemed to glow brighter. She frowned at him.

"Are you making yourself light up?" she asked in confusion.

"What? Oh, right, that." He shrugged. "No, it's just a natural reflex. Like laughing when you try to take my hand."

She rolled her eyes. "Fred, you idiot."

They carried on in silence until the moonlight started to glow brighter. Hermione glanced at Fred, who grinned at her. "C'mon!" he called, and led her through a path of tree trunks.

Hermione emerged at the edge of a clearing. Moonlight was steaming down from right above her, and the clearing was breathtaking. Purple flowers like bluebells dotted the undergrowth, and many tiny golden and silver daisies shimmered among the short, spring grass. She gasped in delight.

"Woah!"

She grabbed Fred's wrist; or rather, tried to. She ended up with her fingers closing around what would be his skin, though now it felt like empty air.

"Come on!" she cried, tugging at his 'wrist'. He laughed.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!"

Hermione dropped his arm and wandered into the clearing. She laughed in delight, until she realised that Fred's presence had vanished. She spun around to find him standing at the edge of the clearing, watching her.

"Aren't you coming?" she asked, her laughter dying in her throat. He shook his head.

"I can't," he replied. "Watch."

He tried to take a step forwards, but it seemed like he was trying to walk through a brick wall. The air shimmered when he touched it, and Hermione frowned. She put her hand on the shimmery air and put it through; however, Fred was unable to get past.

"What is that?" she asked.

"Remember what I told you about the difference between a ghost and a spirit? Ghosts can go where they like. Spirits are stuck to the place that they died in. I can't leave the Hogwarts grounds."

"Oh!" Hermione gasped. "So that's why you..."

"Never came to say hi before?" Fred asked, raising an eyebrow. "No."

A cold breeze blew past and Hermione shivered. She checked her watch; 11:46pm.

"I ought to get back," she told him, and walked through the boundary. He nodded and began to lead the way back.

Both were silent.

**x**

_**A/N: Sorry if Hermione seems a bit OoC at the end there. I figured that Fred should at least play one prank on Hermione, and the first bit is my failed attempt at a prank scene. And where have Paris and Hew ended up? Find out next chapter!**_

_**So, until then, **_

_**-Invisi**_


	10. Chapter 10

_**A/N: I haven't got much to say here, except that last chapter was the longest so far!**_

_**And I don't own Harry Potter :p**_

**Chapter Ten**

**Trapped**

Willa looked out of the window of the Ravenclaw tower, shivering. Where were Paris and Hew? She hadn't seen them since they'd followed Professor Esslemont that morning.

"What if she is a Death Eater?" she murmured to Lena. "And they've both been kidnapped, or worse, killed?" Lena rested a hand on her cousin's shoulder.

"They'll be fine," she murmured. "Trust me."

**x**

_Earlier that Day..._

_"Lumos!" _she muttered, and the bright light revealed the space they were in for the first time.

Paris squeaked with fear. They were in a small room, with a domed ceiling. It was made of plain, grey stone, and cracked. But that wasn't the worst bit.

The worst bit was definitely the skeletons.

They lined the edges of the walls; bleached dry bones and skulls, all lopsided and cracked. The bones of people who had been trapped here long ago, and had long since rotted away.

Paris stood up, shining her light around the room. There was no-way out that she could see. Nothing but bare walls and skeletons.

"Where _are _we?" Hew asked. Paris shrugged.

"I dunno, but I don't like it."

**x**

Fred wandered back up to the castle. He could see Hermione shivering beside him, but could no longer feel the cold. He could barely feel anything to be honest. There was that uncomfortable sensation every time the wind blew past him or he'd managed to walk into something, but that was it.

It wasn't nice, not being able to feel things.

Then... Earlier, when Hermione had grabbed his wrist. It had been the oddest sensation, not like when he bumped into things at all... but rather a warm tingling that had shot up his arm. It was weird.

"Well, Goodnight then," Hermione said awkwardly, opening the door. Fred waved, giving her a weak smile.

"Yeah, bye."

He heard the door close and sighed. What was wrong with him? In life, he had been care-free at best, always making a joke out of things. Now he was only ever getting deeper into despair, floundering in darkness.

He took a deep breath and braced himself. He had discovered years ago that he could not only pass through objects, but pass into them; while a wall was solid to any other person, to him it was like a tunnel. It was a fast way to get around, and besides, he was less likely to get caught.

He strode into the thick brick, and soon emerged into the stone. He was safe, for now. And with that, he closed his eyes, and proceded to sleep whilst standing.

**x**

Paris knocked on the wall for the fiftieth time. Her watch told her it was well over midnight. Hew groaned from where he lay on the cold, uncomfortable ground, wrapped in his cape.

"Paris, give it a rest already. We'll find a way out in the morning," he moaned. "Just go to sleep."

"I _can't _sleep!" she told him, which was, in all honesty, true. The skeletons creeped her out and the room was just plain spooky. Besides that, there was an unfamiliar terror in her stomach, twisting and curling around like snakes in a pit.

_What if we never get out? What if we're trapped here forever? What if we end up like those skeletons? What if I never see Willa or Lena again? What if..._

"Well, at least try to rest, can't you?" Hew grumbled, and Paris sighed. He was right. She pulled her clock out of her bag and lay it on the floor beside Hew's, lying down on it and curling up into a ball.

She lay her wand down between them, its tip still lit. Neither of them wanted to admit it, but they were both scared by this place, too scared to be in the dark.

"G'night," she mumbled.

"Good night," Hew replied.

Paris was sure she would never sleep; the worry and dread gnawing at her was making her restless. However, she slowly found her eyelids drooping, and soon lapsed into a fitful sleep.

**x**

_**A/N: Well, this chapters a bit short, but oh well. Sorry if it's a bit angst-y and depressing. **_

_**-Invisi**_


	11. Chapter 11

_**A/N: Thanks to all my followers and favoriters! I love you all! In fact, at the end of this chapter, I'm gonna post the usernames of anybody who followed or favorited this story! **_

_**Harry Potter doesn't belong to me. **_

**Chapter Eleven**

**Missing In Action**

Fred wandered through the walls. It was early morning, about eight am, and the castle was buzzing with life. He could feel it; being part of the wall, he could tell everything that was happening around him. And then he froze.

Someone was trapped in the secret room beside the Headmistress's office.

Hurrying, he reached the room in a matter of seconds. That was one good thing about being a spirit: he could travel faster than the speed of sound.

Peering out into the room, he could see two people. Third or fourth years, by the looks of them. One, a boy with mousy brown hair, was hunched in the middle of the room. The other, a girl with boyishly short hair, was tapping every brick on the wall, trying to get out.

As soon as Fred had found out about this place soon after being 'expelled' back into the world, he had explored it. There were two ways in; behind the tapestry and through a tunnel, which was also the only way out. This tunnel had been one of the ones on the Maurader's map, but exploration found that it was caved in. However, had they done a little more probing, they would've found that tapping the bricks in a certain sequence would cause the blockage to move and revealed a safe passage.

Fred made sure he was invisible and stepped out of the walls. He looked around, searching for a way to get his message across. And then he found it; a skeleton. There were many bones and such in this room, all tangled up, but this one had all major limbs attached. Fred shuddered, but decided it would do.

The next thing he did, he hated doing. Hated it with a passion. He had once done it to a bird by accident, and it had terrified him.

He took a deep breath, steadied himself and walked into the skeleton.

Instead of that uncomfortable feeling of passing through things, Fred instead found feeling from limbs that weren't his. He could feel every fibre of the skeleton's structure, and stood up. The bones clattered, and the girl whipped around, her green eyes wide with fear.

"He-e-e-w!" she screamed, pointing. The boy jumped to his feet and pointed the wand at Fred- or, more specifically, the Fred Skeleton.

"Hey, hey, no need to be afraid!" Fred called warily, raising his hands in a gesture of surrender. The two kids exchanged a glance and dropped their wands, still staring at him distrustfully.

"I don't want to hurt you," Fred called softly. "I'm trying to get you out of here."

"There's a way out?" the girl asked. Fred nodded.

"Come on, follow me!" he called. He walked over to the back wall and found a hole where the wall jutted out slightly. He slotted his finger into the wall and there was a rumbling noise. He pulled his finger back and the wall slid back, revealing a pitch-black passageway.

"Light your wands," he said to the two teens, "And follow me."

They grabbed their stuff and followed him through the door, their wands lit with an illumination spell. The door slid closed behind them. Fred beckoned to them and pointed out a space where the wall dented in slightly, and a small hole was there.

"If you ever want to get back in, insert your wand into here and the door will open," he told them. They nodded.

"Right," the boy said shakily. Fred led them down the passage. After a while, the girl spoke.

"So, what's your name, mister?"

"I don't have a name," Fred replied airily.

"But you must have one," the boy protested. Fred scratched his head, trying not to wince when slivers of bone were scraped off with a nails-on-a-chalkboard noise.

"I suppose I must've had once, once," he said at last. "What are your names?"

"I'm Paris Luna Dela Rosa," Paris said cheerfully.

"I'm Hew Rozario," the boy added.

They turned a corner and reacher the blockage. Fred stopped, searching for his wand, then realising he didn't have one.

"We're trapped!" Paris wailed. Fred shook his head.

"No we're not. Can I borrow your wand?"

Paris nodded and passed it to him. Fred tapped the bricks in the unlocking pattern.

_Tappity-tap-tap! Tappity-tap-tap! Tappity-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap!_

The walls shook and the rubble moved aside. Fred led them on, and as soon as the rubble shifted back into place, handed Paris her wand back. "Can you remember that pattern?" he asked her, and she nodded.

"Got it all up here," she told him, tapping her head. He nodded.

"Good."

They were facing the entrance now. There was an empty torch bracket near the wall, and he twisted it downwards; the wall creaked open. He waved at the two students.

"Goodbye!" he called to them as they scurried out of the passageway.

"Bye!" Hew called.

"Thanks, Mister!" Paris added, waving at him. The wall slid closed.

Sighing with relief, Fred transported the skeleton's body back to the chamber whilst still wearing it, and then left the bones. He winced, watching the skelton's frame collapse to the floor. Then, taking one last look around, he passed into the wall and merged into the castle.

**x**

Hermione sat in the Grand Hall, eating some scrambled eggs and chatting to Hagrid. Sinistra wasn't there yet, which was strange. Hermione wondered what was keeping her.

Sinistra walked through the doors at that moment and dashed up to the staff table. She sat down in her usual place, next to Hermione.

"Look at this!" she wailed, slapping down today's issue of the _Daily Prophet. _"That poor girl!"

Hermione peered at the paper, and felt her stomach lurch.

"Hermione Granger: MIA," she read quietly.

"MIA? Wha's tha' mean?" Hagrid asked in confusion.

"Missing In Action," Hermione replied, quickly scanning down the page. At the top, under the headline, was a picture that had been taken earlier that year, back in March. Hermione, Harry, Ron and Ginny had gone down to the seaside for a day to celebrate Ron's birthday. In this picture they were stood on the end of the pier, smiling at the camera. It was all in black and white, but Hermione owned this very same picture back at Ron's.

She and Ron were stood in the middle, smiling out of the page. Her hair was bushier than ever, tangled by the seaside wind. She wore a pair of Sunglasses and a tank top and shorts. Beside her was Ginny, dressed in a similar manner. All four of them had arms around each other's shoulders, laughing at something someone had said.

"'Mione will be al'righ'," Hagrid said decisively. "Yer don' call her the brightes' witch of our age for nothin', after all, do yer?"

"I suppose not," Sinistra said with a sigh. "Oh, I do hope she's alright!"

**x**

Willa stood anxiously outside her DADA classroom. Hew and Paris hadn't been at breakfast, and they still hadn't returned! Nobody had noticed yet, what with this morning's headlines. The fact that a national hero had gone missing was stirring up unrest.

"WILLA!" came a yell, and Willa spun around to see Hew and Paris racing towards her, panting hard. Willa raced towards them, and the two stopped, bending over to rest on their knees, out of breath.

"You'll- never- guess- what- we- found!" she gasped, grinning like a madman.

**x**

_**A/N: There you go; Chapter eleven, fresh of the keyboard. Hope you enjoyed this chapter.**_

_**And now, as I've promised, a list of everyone who has favourited or followed this story!:**_

georgewealeygirl27, writer girl 25, ChocolatelsKryponite, NormalForNorfolk, floatsodelicately, F. , XxxI'mNotOkayxxX, A Silent Echo, JoanaBlack, moonblaze1509, Rbsoccer11, Dorky-reader, kk1999, , and last but not least samanthakp!

_**Thanks guys for your support, I love you all!**_

_**-Invisi**_


	12. Chapter 12

_**A/N: What do I have to say? Nothing, except sorry for the late update! I have a bit of writer's block, so sorry if this chapter isn't very good. **_

_**Harry Potter? No, I don't remember ever owning THAT!**_

**Chapter Twelve**

**Secrets**

"Are you sure we're going the right way?" Willa asked for the fifth time that evening. Paris rolled her eyes.

"Sure I'm sure. Why wouldn't I be?"

Willa didn't reply and Paris led them over to the wall. Sure enough, there was a torch bracket beside the opening, which she twisted round. It slowly ticked back to full posture as the war slid open for them, revealing the dim hallway. Paris stuck her tongue out at her sister.

"See? Told you I was sure."

The four of them entered the passage and the door closed behind them. Paris and Willa lit their wands, whilst Lena lit the seven or so candles she was holding. She'd told them it was some religious thing, and would shed a great deal of light, so they'd let her bring it. Paris shrugged and began striding down the hallway, Hew beside her. He had a loop of muggle fair lights wrapped over his arm, off for the meantime. He was also holding three charms books under his arm.

When they reached the blockage, Paris had to search intently for the places she was supposed to tap. Then she figured it out; two bricks, each outlined in white chalk. She stretched her wand forwards and tapped them.

_Tappity-tap-tap! Tappity-tap-tap! Tappity-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap!_

The rubble slid away, making room for them to get through. Once they'd passed that point, it only took ten minutes down the long, dark tunnel until they reached the room. Paris unlocked it with her wand, and the four of them entered the room, which they'd decided to nickname _The Crypt. _

"Well, it's certainly got potential," Willa commented dryly, looking around all the skeletons. Paris rolled her eyes.

"So what if it's dirty and downright disturbing? It's secret. Besides, we'll fix it up."

"Right," Lena agreed, taking the books from Hew and laying them out on the floor. She flipped through to find the right page, then poured over the pages, her face flickering with shadows in the candle light. After two minutes, she looked up at them, nodding her head.

"I think I can do it," she told them, bringing out her wand. "Hew, pass me those lights."

Hew passed them to her, and Lena closed her eyes, resting her wand on one single bulb.

_"Electrify lumos praesentia!"_

There was a sound like the buzzing of an insect's wings and a zap of electricity as the lights flickered and lit up. Light finally lit up all corners of the room, and Lena looked up, grinning. Her face was white and gleaming with sweat.

"I declare the first meeting of the Spinning Apple Raccoons officially open," she proclaimed, then laughed. "Now let's put these lights up."

"What did you charm them to do, exactly?" asked Hew, as he used a simple sticking charm to pin up one end of the lights.

"I charmed them to light up whenever a human's presence entered the room," Lena told him. "I'm also going to make the passageway a little harder to enter, by needing a password rather than twisting the torch bracket."

"Cool," Paris commented, standing back to look at the lights. "I'm glad I fell into here now- this is gonna be the best club house ever!"

"Sure is," Willa agreed, beaming at her sister.

**x**

Hermione watched as September turned into October. The weeks had flown by as she taught her lessons and talked with Fred- every other night, they'd agreed, as she began to become to tired she could not concentrate. It had been hard work, but she'd definitely learned something while she'd been on the run. Keeping busy stopped you from thinking too hard, and thinking too hard drove you to despair.

Before today, she'd never really had time to think. Think about how much she missed her family, her friends. And she didn't want to think about it. She stood up, checking her straight, ginger hair in the mirror one last time.

"Let's go," she whispered to herself, and wandered down to join the Halloween Feast.

**x**

_**A/N: Again, writers block is the thing to blame if it's crappy. Next chapter will hopefully be more interesting. **_

_**Please review!**_

_**-Invisi**_


	13. Chapter 13

_**A/N: Not much to say, except that my writers block has lifted a bit. Hope you enjoy this chappie. **_

_**How many times do I have to say it? Don't own it, never will. **_

**Chapter Thirteen**

**All Hallow's Eve**

Fred had a plan.

Through his school life, he and his brother had concocted some awesome pranks. He considered the pranks in his seventh year particularly to be some of his best works. Yet somehow, tonight he was planning to outshine them all.

It was true that on All Hallow's Eve- better known as Halloween- the viel between the living and dead was weaker. He could feel his powers growing stronger as midnight approached, but what he wanted to do would take place at nine o'clock, at the end of the feast.

He'd also done some smaller pranks- such as adding chilli poder to the Slytherin's food, which he'd always loved doing. Messing with Slytherin's food was hilarious. But this year, he was going to go all out. And it was sure to be hilarious.

Because no-one knew he existed. No-one would be able to explain how it'd happened. And no-one would get caught.

**x**

"So, Fallon," Sinistra said to Hermione, "You like taking midnight walks?"

"Excuse me?" Hermione asked in confusion.

"Well, my room is next to yours. I'm usually up, making notes for my practical lessons and such, and I hear you leave. Sometimes I see you walking through the grounds."

"Um, yeah," Hermione agreed. "I like how peaceful it is at night. Everything looks prettier and more mysterious than it does by day."

"Aye," Sinistra agreed. "That's why I like the stars. So peaceful, they are. They don't give a damn about our troubles and yet they continue to watch over us."

Before Hermione could reply, a loud chiming filled the hall. Hermione knew what it was- Fred's calling card- and assumed only she could hear it, before she noticed the others looking confused. That was when Hermione became confused- what was he up to...?

At that moment, every morsel of food in the hall exploded with a loud bang, flying up to the very tip of the room and back down again. But it wasn't food fragments that rained down on the students and teachers: it was sparkles. Like shining glitter. Students were gasping in wonder and amazement as the sparkles rained down on them, coating their hair and clothing. Hermione looked down at herself, and found that she was glowing with the stuff, a silvery-white substance that made her hair and robes look as if they were coated in snow.

All of a sudden cheerful music began to play and the goblets, plates and dishes on the table all got up and began to march along the tables. The cutlery also seemed to have a mind of itself, as the knives and forks ballroom danced together, and the tea- and table-spoons did the tango. Hermione gave an amazed laugh as the tables were shoved backwards against the wall. She stood up as the chairs zoomed backwards to join the tables, though most were not as lucky and ended up falling backwards.

The cutlery and dishes were now dancing over the large floorspace, and then the music stopped- as did the dancers. They now spelled out in large letters across the floor Fred's holiday message:

_They say All Hallow's Eve is a time to celebrate the dead. I say it is the time to celebrate the living! _

_Get out there, pull a few pranks and live!_

_Happy Halloween, everyone!_

"Just WHAT is the meaning of this?" McGonagall called. An eerie silence had settled in the room, as each student was as baffled as the next.

"Nobody can tell me what is going on?"

Hesitation. Then, a sea of shaking heads. McGonagall sighed.

"Off you go, then."

And the students left.

**x**

"Fred?" Hermione hissed into the dark. "Fred, I know you're there!"

Fred materialized beside her. He was slightly dimmer than usual, but Hermione didn't think anything of it. She scowled at him, hands on her hips.

"Now, just what were you thinking?" she demanded, but found it hard to keep a straight face. A bubble of laughter escaped her lips, and that was it: she was off. She sank to the floor, hysterical with laughter, the world blurring around her. She was vaguely aware of Fred doing the same beside her, but she was too busy laughing to care. She couldn't remember the last time she'd laughed like this. It was the best feeling in the world.

Five minutes later they were both lying on their backs, arms spread wide, staring at the stars, still grinning though it made Hermione's cheeks hurt.

"That was amazing, what you did," she told him.

"Yeah? Glad you think so," he replied, sounding smug. Then he sighed. "Didn't half sap my energy, though, y'know?"

"Your energy?" Hermione asked in confusion. Fred sighed.

"Okay, let's put it like this. Humans, trees, animals, objects, they're all made of matter. Things you can touch, things you can see. Then there are ghosts, which are souls. And souls are made of all the stuff you can't see- your personality, your dreams, your wishes, every emotion you've ever felt. Then there are spirits, which are made up of a lot of energy and very little soul. Ghosts will tell you that the thing about the viel between the dead and living on Halloween isn't real, because souls can't harness energy. However, on Halloween, excess energy lingers on earth. Spirits, unlike ghosts, can harness energy, since they're made of the stuff. Since they can't technically touch things, they use energy to move objects and create effects. Optical and audible illusions. A spirit is at its most powerful on Halloween, because of all the energy around them. However, if they use too much, it can sap them of the energy they're made of, making it harder for them to do stuff. It comes back after a couple of days, but leaves them weakened in that time."

"I... see," Hermione said thoughtfully. "So, you can't actually touch things?"

"I can go through them," he told her. "It's not nice, though. Uncomfortable. You can't touch energy, so, say, an animal couldn't feel me. But I can feel it, vaguely. Actually, aside from going through and into things, I can't really feel anything at all."

"Really? So you can't feel the ground we're on, or this?" She poked him in the ribs. He shook his head.

"I know it's there. I can feel it's presence I could feel you then, Hermione, but it didn't hurt. It was just... there."

"Oh." Then a thought occurred to her. "Fred, you said spirits are trapped here against their will, didn't you?"

"Yeah? What about it?"

"Well, maybe it means... you're not meant to go on. You're meant to come back."

Fred shook his head. "Uh-uh. Sorry, 'Mione, but I'm too dead to be alive again."

"Right," Hermione said with a sigh. "Forget I said anything. But what you did tonight was great, Fred."

He smiled.

"You kidding? It was marvellous, I do say so myself!"

**x**

_**A/N: Hopefully this was a lot better and longer than last chapter! You get to find out some info on Fred's condition, and you get a prank! The prank probably fails, doesn't it? I'm not good at coming up with that sort of thing. I combined several prank ideas: the exploding food I got from a website, the glitter and the message came from my own mind, and the dancing dishware was inspired by the Halloween prank in Scotland Evander's fic, Over The Rainbow. I suggest you read it, as it is really good, and even if it's not your type of thing, I'd suggest reading the chapter 'A Prank Is Born'. Seriously, I just read it and it is really funny!**_

_**Well, after this extremely long Author's Note, I bid you a good half three pm. **_

_**-Invisi**_


	14. Chapter 14

_**A/N: This chapter isn't very good. Sorry for the lame-ness :p**_

_**Oh, and HP wont ever belong to me. Sorry.**_

**Chapter Fourteen**

**Memories**

Ron sat in his empty flat. It had always been empty since Hermione left, and he still had no clue where she'd gone. It was rather like that time four years ago, when he'd left their mission. It had taken him forever to find her then. And besides, even the illuminator wouldn't help him now.

It was the day after Halloween, the first of November. Ron remembered when he'd first become friends with Hermione, ten years ago. There were some things you couldn't go through together and not be friends, and fighting the troll was one of them.

He remembered all sorts about his girlfriend. Like the way she'd lain whilst petrified in second year. The way she'd punched Malfoy in third (this memory made him smile). Her going to the ball in fourth year with Krum. Her at the ministry in fifth year. That argument in sixth year. And the way she'd yelled at him on his return in what would've been his seventh year.

"Hermione, where are you?" he moaned. No response came from the silent flat.

**x**

Paris was dreaming.

_It was a sunny day in mid April, a cool breeze ruffling her shoulder-length hair as she stood on the porch of her family's house in Devon. "Willa?" she called. "Willa, where are you?" _

_She laughed, making her way down into the garden, thinking her sister was playing a game. _

_"Willa, come on! Daddy's gonna be cross if you don't. The Porters will be round in ten minutes."_

_She heard a noise beside her, in a large, flowery bush. "Willa?" she called cautiously, making her way towards the bush._

_A figure erupted from the bush, holding a knife. It grabbed her, holding the knife to her throat. Paris choked, barely daring to breathe. She looked up, moving her eyes only, and saw a pallid, pale face and red eyes. _

_"MUMMY!" she screamed. "DADDY!"_

_"OI! LET HER GO!" _

_The figure had dropped Paris onto the ground and vanished. Paris had felt her parent's arms around her, and had sobbed into her fingers. _

_"Where's Willa?" she'd cried. "Where is she?"_

Paris jerked awake, her fingers going to her neck. She still remembered that day, the spring of 1945. She propped herself up on one elbow and turned to look at her sister, curled up in her own bed.

But it _wasn't _Willa.

The Porters' visit had been called off while her parents had looked for Willa. Paris had been sent to bed, and when she had woken the next morning, Willa had been there, with no recollection of the event.

It wasn't until three years ago, when she was eleven, had Paris learnt the truth.

Willa Luna Dela Rosa had been killed, murdered on 19th April 1945. The girl on the next bed was simply a fake, a replacement made using blood magic of the darkest sort. The dead were meant to stay dead.

But Paris couldn't blame her parents. She couldn't imagine a life without Willa.

**x**

Fred was also thinking, hovering in the walls with no purpose.

He was thinking back to that day, 2nd May 1998.

He had no clue how it had happened. All he knew was that one moment, he had been laughing, and the next, he had hit the ground with a thump. Then a prolonged period of blackness. Nothing for the next seventy-three hours.

He had figured it was because of all the dead. The death toll had been huge, and the afterlife would've had to have gone through it all; who would be a ghost? A spirit? Go on? It had been like waiting in a queue.

And Fred, unfortunately, had been pushed to the back of that queue.

The next thing he knew, he'd been stood in the place he died. Just stood by the ruins of a broken wall. At first he'd wondered what had happened; why was it so quiet? Where had his family gone? He could see out over the grounds from this point, and there had been nobody there.

That was when the idea started to form in his mind: maybe, just maybe, he was dead. Maybe this was what the afterlife was like, an empty castle.

Then he'd scoffed at the idea, and had gone out to explore. He found there were a few people swarming about on the lower floors, but no-one noticed him. They all looked shell-shocked. Dazed. In a state of shock.

He'd walked round the grounds a couple of times before he'd found it: a lone tower nowhere near the building. And he sure as hell had not seen this tower before.

Venturing closer, he'd seen what was around the tower; graves. Graves for the dead who had died in the battle, The Battle of Hogwarts. Maybe he'd simply been in a coma for a while? Then horror had gripped him. Who was dead?

He'd meandered among the graves, simple stone tablets protected by magic against weathering. Endless names, endless lives, their memories protected by a simple charm. Still, he had found no name of his family as he neared the back of the Graveyard. Then he'd gasped aloud.

The grave in front of him read:

_Remus John Lupin._

He walked along this row. More names, most of them he'd known. Tonks and Remus, old school friends and order members. He was sure now, at that moment in time, if he was able to, he would've cried.

That was when he reached the last grave on the row, and his world had stopped.

_Fred Weasley_

_1st April 1978 - 1st May 1998_

_An amazing brother, loved son, great friend_

_& Prankster-In-__Chief_

_RIP_

There. Right in front of him, his own grave. And that was when the question occurred.

_Why am I not dead?_

He'd managed to talk to the Grey Lady about it. She wasn't very talkative, so he knew his secret was safe. Why he wanted his presence to remain secret, he did not know. She had been the one to tell him about ghosts and spirits. She had also told him about a friend of hers who had been a spirit, but who had managed to go on in the end.

Fred had hoped the same thing would happen to him. He wanted to go on, not be trapped in this half-life he had. Now he was beginning to give up hope.

**x**

Hermione Granger sat in her study, looking at the photo she'd cut out of the _Prophet. _The one of her, Ron, Harry and Ginny. She smiled sadly, a tear falling from her eye and trickling down the paper.

That life was gone now, and all she had was a head full of memories.

**x**

_**A/N: It's dumb, I know. It also sorta gives you a background on the Luna girls, though really it's only Paris that knows. **_

_**Sorry for the lame chapter. **_

_**-Invisi**_


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